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White willow

White willows blossom while leafing. Male catkins are slightly curved, yellowish at first, but later on they turn reddish (this has already happened in southern Estonia). Female catkins are a bit smaller than male ones, up to five centimeters in length and they are silky. Lance-shaped leaves of the willow have pointed tips, saw-toothed edges and are silky hairy on both sides at the beginning of the growth – later on only the lower side of the leaf stays hairy. Upper side is greyish green in the summer.

 

A truly large tree cannot be unnoticed with its thick and scabby bark, while height can reach up to as much as thirty meters. They grow on watersides, also on overly moist habitats.